I travelled to from Plymouth to St Austell today and got a local train there which was a 3 carriage reimagined class 43 (ex Inter city 125) which was great. On the way back it was one of the new class 800 (Azuma) trains and it was really uncomfortable. It was like sitting on a wooden bench. I’d hate to travel all the way to London on one of these. Megabus for me next time I think. I used to hope for an Inter City when travelling into Cornwall but now I’ll aim for a local train as they are much more comfortable. I wonder why (apart from cheapness) they replace a perfectly good (though ageing) train with something that is worse. Reminds me of when Cross Country introduced Voyagers.
To do with the electrification of the great western mainline DFT wanted the great western mainline electrified and wanted new electric trains to increase capacity, shorten journey times, enable more trains to run and to replace the class 43s. Most of GWRs class 43 sets were put for scrap or preservation but they did retain some and called them the castle class as you will notice they are all named after castles. This enabled them to cascade units to replace the pacers do not comply with PRM regulations and gradual withdraw them from service. The seats are very controversial on the 800s and your not alone they arnt very popular at all. Me personally I love the 800s and because the journey time to London is so much shorter now they don't bother me so much.
The seats in the 800 series of trains have thinner padding which is why they are so uncomfortable, I've been told it's for fire safety and to fit more seats per carriage, I have no idea who came up with that logic but it makes no sense
the leg room is brilliant though, best I’ve ever seen in a standard class carriage. I’ve never travelled first class in any train so I don’t know if that’s any different.
Yeah - the 800 spec is all DfT - the only input GWR had was on the colour of the stripe above the windows. The initial batch of 800s were delivered in White with DfT Grey interiors - it took a fair bit of wrangling to get the seats to be retrimmed in GWR's design! Also GWR were not allowed to change the interior spec on the 802s - to get clearance for that order they had to be as close as possible to the 800. GWR have been on a 'short term' management contract since 2013 so have less leeway with the DfT than other TOCs Similarly GWR were told either they go DOO on the Intercity routes, or to ditch the buffet - given the union battle that would have caused they went for guards and trolley service.
interesting to know I wasn’t aware of that. So it sounds like it’s another one of DFTs underinvestment in the railway again like we saw with the half hearted electrification of the great western mainline. The electrification of the great western mainline could have been so much better if DFT had spent more money and not done half a job and walk off. GWR are one of the better TOCs in my opinion and if they had more say in the matter I really think would have been better.
